Loss Reversed
by laolurve
Summary: Written in response to the challenge: Olivia is shot in Loss; Alex still has to enter WPP.


**Author's Notes:**

Haven't posted all of Moments in Time yet (by far, lol) but continuing my effort to archive all my stuff here. This was written in response to a challenge that was "Olivia gets shot in Loss, Alex still goes to WPP".

Rating: T (mostly for language)

I own nuthin.

**~~ Loss Reversed ~~**

* * * * * *

Olivia saw the tiny reflection first, precious milliseconds before the muzzle flashed. She didn't know that reflection was a glint of light off a gun barrel, there wasn't enough time for her brain to process the input that completely.

Instead, years of training and years of instinct provided her only one thought: Danger.

Followed almost instantaneously by a second thought: Alex.

Without further consideration, without fully even knowing what she was doing or why, she shoved the attorney hard, instincts again taking control and telling her she needed to get the blonde on the ground to get her out of harm's way.

The next sequence of events seemed to happen at the same time. The startled cry from the surprised attorney, drowned quickly out by the deafening gun blast, the bright flash, and then the devastating pain as Olivia felt the bullet rip through her upper arm.

Olivia hit the ground hard with her arm collapsed below her and her cheekbone scraping against the rough pavement. It was only then that her brain had the opportunity to catch up. Someone had fired a gun. She'd been shot.

Holy shit, that hurt.

Fuck.

Alex.

Fuck.

"Alex?" She called out. _Please let me be the only one hit. Please let me be the only one hit._

"Olivia!" Olivia heard the panic in the blonde's voice and all of a sudden Alex's face appeared in her field of vision as the attorney leaned down, her own face next to the sidewalk. Olivia winced as Alex pressed down on Olivia's back, inadvertently pushing further on Olivia's trapped arm.

"Olivia! Are you okay? Speak to me. Baby, please, please no. Please, speak to me!" Alex was frantic.

"Son of a bitch," Olivia wasn't exactly pleased those were the words that came out of her mouth but they were. Then, with another wince, she managed to continued, "I'm okay. Sweetie, I'm okay."

Olivia started pushing herself over, trying to sit up as her mind started churning and as Alex still looked on unconvinced and still panicked. A look that intensified when Alex saw the hole in Olivia's coat and saw the blood seeping out from under that coat and down Olivia's wrist and hand.

"Oh my God, you're bleeding! Oh my, God, baby..." Alex grabbed Olivia's upper arm, trying to put pressure on what was clearly a wound. "Elliot! Olivia's been hit!"

"No!" Olivia shouted to her partner who was just now returning to their side after chasing down the car. "No, Elliot. You can't call it in. Not as a 1013."

"Olivia!? What are you talking about?!" Alex was frantic, fussing over the blood, still trying to apply pressure and still trying and not succeeding to fight down her panic.

But, fully sitting up now, Olivia knew the wound wasn't serious. That it was a through and through. Yeah, it tore up her triceps but good but it didn't get the bone. And that let her mind focus on more important things. So she ignored Alex's question and spoke to Elliot, "Call Hammond."

"Hammond?!" Alex glared at Olivia then at Elliot, "Call a fucking ambulance, Elliot!"

Olivia continued to ignore the insistent attorney, "It was meant for her," Olivia implored Elliot with her eyes to understand, "The bullet was meant for her." She took a breath and her heart ached as she asked Elliot again, "Call Hammond."

* * * * * *

Elliot had flipped open his cell and called. Police and fire and aid arrived shortly thereafter, not because of Elliot's call but because multiple concerned citizen had called in the sound of a gunshot. The flash of a badge and the explaining to the first responders that they needed to follow orders first and ask questions later had gotten the two women loaded into the first ambulance and away from the scene almost immediately after the ambulance had arrived.

As they pulled away Elliot started giving everyone the story he would repeat over and over: Multiple gun shots. ADA Alex Cabot had been hit. She was unconscious when the ambulance arrived. His partner was riding with her to the hospital.

And in the ambulance, they didn't exactly tear through the New York streets. In fact they traveled without sirens and lights, awaiting instructions from Hammond as the fireman treated Olivia's wound as best he could and Alex tried to get Olivia to tell her what the hell was going on.

"That bullet was meant for you, Alex."

"You said that back there, Olivia. I GET that. Why aren't we getting to a hospital?"

"I don't think you DO get it, Alex!!" Olivia spat back. Alex face registered the hurt and Olivia immediately felt bad for her raised voice and biting words. Olivia glanced at the EMT who was doing his best to pretend he wasn't hearing anything. She was trying to figure out what she could say without giving too much away when she was saved by her cell phone ringing. It was Hammond.

* * * * * *

It was all a whirl to Alex after that. The ambulance had pulled into the ambulance bay and with much flourish, a gurney was rushed into and through the ER, one of the busiest in New York, into the secure area where access was exceedingly limited.

In the end, two doctors and three nurses spent 30 minutes sequester back in the room with the patient. And it was with heavy hearts that they later reported that the patient hadn't made it. Only, they weren't actually with a patient.

And only a handful of people in the entire world knew that.

Instead, that 'patient' along with the detective who had ridden in the ambulance with her were ushered down to the morgue by federal marshals dressed as hospital personnel. There they were met by Hammond and two other marshals. A car was waiting.

And Alex was starting to catch on. "Olivia... Olivia, no. I'm not going with them." The anguish in the attorney's voice was obvious.

"Alex. That bullet was meant for you," Olivia repeated the same thing for the third time, knowing Alex was stubborn enough that she needed to hear it over and over and over again if she was going to get it through to Alex what that meant.

"Stop saying that!!"

"It's true, Alex, and you know it. And you know what it means." Olivia's voice was quiet. Resigned. Tender.

"No..." it was more a whimper than anything else that left the blonde's lips.

"Yes," Olivia nodded as she took a step closer to Alex, taking one of her hands in the hand of her uninjured arm. "And he's going to keep trying," Olivia paused before voicing the conclusion they both already knew, "Unless he thinks the job is already done."

"I can't leave you, Olivia. I won't." Alex voice was barely above a whisper. They were painfully aware of their audience but unable to do anything about it.

"It's not like I want you to go," Olivia voice was equally as pained, her heart breaking right along with Alex's, "But if you stay he won't ever stop, Alex," Olivia let go of Alex's hand so she could use it to lift Alex's chin, "And what if he were to succeed?" Olivia's voice cracked.

_What if he were to succeed?_ The thought didn't strike fear in Alex's heart for herself even though Valez' success meant her death. The thought, instead, struck fear in her heart for Olivia. What Olivia would go through if Alex died. What she'd go through knowing she'd failed to protect Alex.

It would destroy the detective. It would destroy her completely and forever.

Alex's heart sank, her shoulders slumped and she choked back a sob, knowing and conceding with her body language that Olivia was right. She felt her eyes moisten with unshed tears. She swallowed hard.

And she asked the only question that came to mind, the only one that seemed important, as the future, which had seemed so bright just days ago, now yawned before her dark, unknown, and terrifying: "How long?"

* * * * * *


End file.
